i am new to growing and would like to start my first grow soon. originally i wanted to use hps lighting, but was advised against it because of the space that i have to work with (2x2x5). i am now thinking about using cfl's and have a few questions. i am thinking about using 4, 3-light bathroom style fixtures, one on the top of the box, and one on each of the three sides (excluding the door). this would come out to 12 lights. i want to grow 3 plants, and have heard that 100w per plant is good, and this would come out to 504w. is this too much? or will the increased lighting lead to increased yield? also, should i get 12 cool white bulbs and 12 warm white bulbs and switch between veg and flower, or could i get 6 of each and not have to switch? thank you.
There are two things you can't have enough of 1. Light 2. Air However you can burn the plant if its kept to close to the light. I would recommend 400wMH 600wHPS and you should be good bro. Do you have a way to move air in and out of your grow room?
my idea is to have a fan blowing over the light and out of the box, and then a separate exhaust fan blowing through a carbon filter. what about the heat issues that an hps would raise? i would like to use a cooltube, but i would like to make one myself instead of paying so much for it but am unsure whether or not it will fit in my box. (which, by the way, i am now thinking of making 2x3x5 instead of 2x2x5).
You're not going to burn a plant with CFL's, unless you buy the 150W beasts. I have (8) 26w in my box for one plant, and I run a 24/0 light schedule. I've touched the lights before and they're not even hot. warm at best. And they have been on for 2 and a half weeks straight. You'll be fine. Just get plenty of ventilation cause with 500+ watts of CFL youre going to be looking at temps in the mid to upper 80's
i am not too worried about heat if i go with cfl's. my worry is that if i go with hps heat will become an issue.
I completely agree. CFL's your fine. But the HPS will give off much more energy/light/heat. HPS is what will push your strain to its potential. If you have 2fans. 1.blowing on the light 2. pulling air from the box into exterior environment You should be good. I don't know all the details of your set-up. But I wouldn't let temps wonder much above 80 (In my experience its ok with veg, no so much for flower)